Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk pushed back aggressively against accusations raised by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman amid renewed scrutiny surrounding the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The exchange erupted after additional Justice Department documents related to Epstein were publicized, prompting both men to reference past email communications.

Hoffman shared a 2012 email in which Musk asked Epstein, “Day/night will be the wildest party on your island?” a message Musk did not deny sending. However, Musk made clear that he never followed through with any visit.

“The big difference between you and me, Reid, is that you went and I did not,” Musk wrote on X, referring to Epstein’s private island, which has been linked to serious criminal allegations. “In fact, you went multiple times. First time was maybe a mistake, but not the second time you went.”

Musk later elaborated that he ultimately declined Epstein’s invitations: “I came to my senses and declined to go,” he wrote, adding that Epstein “tried to get me to go to his island so many times that eventually I just blocked him.”

Hoffman acknowledged prior interactions with Epstein but said they were connected to fundraising efforts for the MIT Media Lab and not personal socializing. He has previously described his association with Epstein as a mistake and expressed regret.

Musk and Hoffman were once part of the so-called “PayPal mafia,” a group of early PayPal executives who went on to build or invest in major Silicon Valley firms. In recent years, the two have diverged politically and clashed over policy issues.

In the latest exchange, Musk positioned himself as someone who rejected deeper involvement when offered the opportunity, a distinction he repeatedly emphasized. As scrutiny continues over Epstein’s network of high-profile contacts, Musk has publicly maintained that he refused to participate in anything connected to Epstein’s island.